Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics scope turret came off

DD:Good post.... There is a lot of "commidification" going on today. ...I'm astonished at the buying public's willingness to accept this crap.

But then, with few alternatives, what are they supposed to do?

To me a scope you can't trust is like driving off in the morning knowing 4 tires are gonna go flat,and soon...but you don't know exactly when.

Back then how many people did you know or talk hunting and guns with ? How many now in the age of the internet and cell phones ? How many experienced shooter/hunters are on this site alone ? I think that is a factor as well.
Today we are in touch with far more people who use these things. Too bad we don't have a real numbers as to the differences.
When we do have a problem, only the problems get counted, not the ratios of problems to people using them. Makes it seem, I think alot worse than it is.
The other possible thing is how much do you hunt and especially how much shooting do you do compared to then ?
All in all though, I've noticed that guys like Barsness, who keep complete records of how many rounds and how many hunts has a scope on what rifles, etc. seem to have noticed that they are having more trouble today with alot of scopes that didn't use to be that bad. If I read his comments right, he seems to hint that the biggest problems is stuff going sour right out of the box. If that is so, at least by throughly testing a scope/rifle combination we can catch such things before they give out on us in the field. E

When I sent my VX3 handgun scope back the first time for lack of tracking adjustments I mentioned that I thought the clicks on the turrets were "mushy", especially compared to my Nikon scopes (the tech loved that!). He said, "send it back, we'll have the custom shop go through it and re-build the whole scope. They had a bad batch of detent balls from an outside supplier that changed the hardness of the steel they were using and made it softer, supposedly the source of the mushy clicks. They ARE better now, but I shouldn't have to send in a $400 new scope to get fixed TWICE!

I'm convinced all the craftsmen now reside in the custom shop.

Leupie at least has a custom shop.....

Well, up till today I thought y'all had some pretty bad luck. But just a little while ago I had the exact same thing happen with one of the new Redfield 2-7x32 that Leupold is making. In all fairness I bought the scope mounted on a rifle from an estate sale. Both rifle and scope appeared new. Sold the rifle today at a gun show without the scope and back home was checking the scope out thinking about putting it on another rifle. Elevation turrent wouldn't come off. Let son try with same result. Got some channel locks and belt webbing, adjusted the jaws so I wouldn't crush the cap, and put some pressure on it. Wasn't like I was white-knuckling the pliers, just good pressure. And out came the whole assembly. Looks just like the Leupold in the post above. I'll be calling Customer Service Monday morning. Will do a followup post when it gets settled.

edit: BTW windage cap came off no problem. Just snug.

If the turret housing was threaded into the tube body with counter rotating threads compared to the cap, that would never happen. Guessing they are a press fit/glue attachment?

The tech at Leupold told me <1% of their scopes get returned for repair. Hmmm. They sure as hell sell a crap load of scopes.

Either that or a very short threaded shaft. I'll have to look at it later to be sure.

Yeah, but then the hamfisted guys would twist 'em out putting the turret caps on!

That is really unfortunate, I hope Leupold is not outsourcing to China.

Bahahahahaha

Hmmm
Had the same thing happen on a VX-3 2.5-8x36. Sent it in to Leoup. & they mailed it back two weeks later. However, upon receiving it back they put the R-L dial on top & the up/dwn dial on the side (horizontal adj). I sighted it in & didn't want to send it back before hunting season. However today went back to the range & the thing wasn't even on the paper. I am convinced it may be screwed it up because all the mounts were still tight. Not only that last week when we were out hunting I am sitting there saying to my wife, ok you need to move it 8 clicks up, which I think it 8 clicks right according to the dial. WTF, hopefully they get it right this time.

This was a case of the threads getting too tight on the cap and then when they didn't come right off, a little hard twisting and the whole assembly came out. I am wondering if they have let their caps go to crap and that is part of the problem. Aluminum threads well but does like to be assembled more than once. When you have to screw the covers on and off I think this is a problem. That is a huge advantage to the M1 turrets. I might buy one of those Newlon Precision covers that has a level built into it. Maybe he is using better material to start with.

E- when you mention Barsness keeping records about this stuff and he is seeing more come apart- that is something. A guy like John can't possibly use a scope as much as someone like me who doesn't have to constantly test new stuff all the time. If he is having any problems, that is saying something.

I have basically used two rifles to exclusion this year and I have already spent over 200 days in the field. I work up loads and sight in an average of 3-4 rifles a month. I get to see a lot of crap. I also get to see some good stuff.

I have a VX III 2.5-8 on a 260AI. I tripped and did a complete flip onto my back. I broke the turret cover completely off that scope! I hunted the rest of the day with it just praying it was still sighted in good enough to hit a bear. I checked it a few days later and it was only off 1" @ 100 yards. Then, a whole assembly comes out of the scope tube when taking a cap off on a 6.5-20...

I have had two different Swarovski 15x56s where the hole hinge pivot came unscrewed when removing the tripod adapter! You think they would use loktight on these things!

Based on the total lack of movement before the turret assembly gave way on mine I'm wondering if they're getting some of the glue up on the cap threads then mounting the cap while it's still wet. Wouldn't take much.

No, they had been off before for the initial sight-in. Just moved it to a different rifle and this happened. I think the cap got bumped and caused the threads to seize.

Finally got around to sending the Redfield Rev back to Leupold for repair. When I was checking it out and packaging it I took a closer look at how the turret assy is attached to the scope. It is a very short threaded shaft with standard threads. I would speculate some type adhesive/sealer is used as well. But anyway I got the scope back about 2 weeks after I returned it. Came back with a new turret assy and overall checkout all at no charge even for return shipping. Another boring interface with Leupold service . But by the time I did all this I no longer really needed it so it's for sale on Classifieds.